Drug gangs are grooming kids in Merseyside, North Wales and Lancashire.

Know what to look for and who to help.
Start by selecting where you live.

Merseyside

Know what to look for.

You can spot grooming in a number of different ways. Sometimes you may just get a feeling that something is not quite right. The following examples might suggest that someone you know is being groomed:

They go missing from school or home, sometimes for weeks.

They have more than one mobile phone.

They become more secretive, more withdrawn.

They start lying.

Maybe you just feel something doesn’t ‘feel right’ but you can’t suss it out.

They have new, unexplained gifts.

Receiving excessive calls or messages from new and unknown ‘friends’.

Unexplained amounts of cash.

Getting picked up or dropped by cars by unknown people.

They have unexplained bus or train tickets.

Mixing with older men or women.

Coming home late, or not at all.

Carrying a knife, gun or other weapon – or storing them.

Trying to conceal bruises, marks or injuries.

Self-harm or significant changes in emotional wellbeing.

Know who to help.

Criminal gangs look for vulnerable people they can control. They groom young people under the age of 18, teenagers and young children. You might think you, your friend or the young person in your community is in control of their choices. However, if you see any of the signs mentioned on this website, you or they could be in danger.

Young person’s guide.

Child criminal exploitation, grooming and 'County Lines’ are difficult subjects to teach. As part of this campaign, we’ve put together a support pack to help explain the signs of exploitation, the different actions and behaviours we might see in the child abusers who are doing the grooming, and of the victims themselves. The more the young people know, the more they can keep themselves, and their friends, safe.

North Wales

Know what to look for.

You can spot grooming in a number of different ways. Sometimes you may just get a feeling that something is not quite right. The following examples might suggest that someone you know is being groomed:

They go missing from school or home, sometimes for weeks.

They have more than one mobile phone.

They become more secretive, more withdrawn.

They start lying.

Maybe you just feel something doesn’t ‘feel right’ but you can’t suss it out.

They have new, unexplained gifts.

Receiving excessive calls or messages from new and unknown ‘friends’.

Unexplained amounts of cash.

Getting picked up or dropped by cars by unknown people.

They have unexplained bus or train tickets.

Mixing with older men or women.

Coming home late, or not at all.

Carrying a knife, gun or other weapon – or storing them.

Trying to conceal bruises, marks or injuries.

Self-harm or significant changes in emotional wellbeing.

Know who to help.

Criminal gangs look for vulnerable people they can control. They groom young people under the age of 18, teenagers and young children. You might think you, your friend or the young person in your community is in control of their choices. However, if you see any of the signs mentioned on this website, you or they could be in danger.

Young person’s guide.

Child criminal exploitation, grooming and 'County Lines’ are difficult subjects to teach. As part of this campaign, we’ve put together a support pack to help explain the signs of exploitation, the different actions and behaviours we might see in the child abusers who are doing the grooming, and of the victims themselves. The more the young people know, the more they can keep themselves, and their friends, safe.

Know how to help.

If you’re being pressured to do something you know is harmful.
Or if you know someone showing the signs covered on this site.
There are people ready to listen and to help.

North Wales

Lancashire

Know what to look for.

You can spot grooming in a number of different ways. Sometimes you may just get a feeling that something is not quite right. The following examples might suggest that someone you know is being groomed:

They go missing from school or home, sometimes for weeks.

They have more than one mobile phone.

They become more secretive, more withdrawn.

They start lying.

Maybe you just feel something doesn’t ‘feel right’ but you can’t suss it out.

They have new, unexplained gifts.

Receiving excessive calls or messages from new and unknown ‘friends’.

Unexplained amounts of cash.

Getting picked up or dropped by cars by unknown people.

They have unexplained bus or train tickets.

Mixing with older men or women.

Coming home late, or not at all.

Carrying a knife, gun or other weapon – or storing them.

Trying to conceal bruises, marks or injuries.

Self-harm or significant changes in emotional wellbeing.

Know who to help.

Criminal gangs look for vulnerable people they can control. They groom young people under the age of 18, teenagers and young children. You might think you, your friend or the young person in your community is in control of their choices. However, if you see any of the signs mentioned on this website, you or they could be in danger.

Young person’s guide.

Child criminal exploitation, grooming and 'County Lines’ are difficult subjects to teach. As part of this campaign, we’ve put together a support pack to help explain the signs of exploitation, the different actions and behaviours we might see in the child abusers who are doing the grooming, and of the victims themselves. The more the young people know, the more they can keep themselves, and their friends, safe.